To Sons

Writers: Len, Suzee
Date Posted: 16th September 2011

Characters: D'ale, G'waren
Description: G'waren and Da'e talk about their sons' progress as Weyrlings
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 3, day 3 of Turn 6

D'ale

"Good flying today," G'waren said to D'ale, stopping at his table. It
was early evening and the Weyr had just gotten back from the
Threadfall in the snow. Luckily that always made for a lighter Fall
than normal, but as it wasn't freezing on the ground yet, they were
still needed to catch all the thread that the moisture hadn't killed.
"You did well, saving little Hallana and her green."

"Thanks, but I think Torerath's sharp eyes did the job more than me."
D'ale smiled though and nodded. "With the snow it's hard to see the
stuff coming sometimes. But at least the Fall is lighter when the
weather is like that.

"True." Whilst it was lighter, the bluerider preferred a clear Fall.
Nodding thoughtfully, he sat down in the empty chair by D'ale. "I
keep hearing your kid's destined for great things. He's doing really
well then?"

"So far," D'ale smiled. The reports he'd heard had all been positive
so far. He was quite proud of his boy. "He seems to be on the right
track." He knew there were some setbacks with their recent loss. All
the dragons had felt it but his son more than most. "He's had
difficulty with the weyrling accident."

"Yeah, was he close to that girl then?" G'waren only heard about the
girl Cardella's sorrow from his son, but not anything about K'ale.

"Closer than anyone thought." D'ale shook his head. He remembered how
he'd broken down when they almost lost Kenza. It still gave him
nightmares. "I'm sure he'll get through it though. He's a strong kid."

"He's a good boy. And he has you and his mum." G'waren took a drink
of his pint and thought about what it all meant. "Everything's
happening so fast with our kids now."

D'ale smiled and half shrugged "Yeah, but I feel like I should be able
to do something and I can't. How's Gwen doing with it?"

"I dunno, to be honest. All he's said are some things about that
Cardella girl. From what I gather she and that girl were best
friends." He shrugged his shoulders and took another drink. His kid
was weyrbred, he had seen more deaths than the average boy his age.

"Yes, she's having a very hard time with it. She and the other girl
were very close." He knew these kinds of events hit the weyrlings the
hardest and their most dangerous training was coming up. Of course in
his day there was no live Threadfall at his 'blooding.'

He decided he wanted to change the subject. "Did I tell you that G'wen
came by my weyr to ask about gitar lessons?"

G'waren felt a cold wave wash over him. "No. No he didn't." What
was wrong with that child? "I'm sorry, I'll tell him to leave you
alone." First that stunt with Sh'lua, then the silly run ins
with other blueriders, and now this?

"No, don't do that," D'ale said. "He really was only asking for gitar
lessons. I'd know an undertone if there ones one and there wasn't any.
Besides he and my son are friends. They visit with Dalora and have a
good start at a lifelong friendship. Actually I was planning on
meeting him at the gather to pick out a student's instrument. You know
the Harper Hall is moving?"

G'waren's brows furled at that. "No, why?" It was no secret that the
Holders only liked Harpers marginally more than the dragonriders who
saved their hides every day. "That won't be good for the girls that
are there." Something else picked at the man's brain. "My kid...is
he any good?"

"Well that I don't know yet, we'll just have to see. I was thinking
with the Harper Hall moving we might be able to get a decent deal on
an apprentice made instrument that will do for him to practice at
first. If it turns out that he has an ear, then maybe I'll teach him
how to make his own. Or he can find a way to make some marks to buy a
better one."

"Well, with Neath as big as she is, I'm sure he'll be able to get some
transport duties pretty easily. How much do they cost?" He mentally
made a note of how many marks he had back in his weyr.

"Well that's why I want to go along with him. I can test the
instruments out and make sure he gets the best deal for his marks.
You can come along if you like."

"Yeah, I could..." Mentally he thought how that would go down with
his pint sized child. Not well, he could imagine. "Could I give you
some money to buy him a decent one? If he really wants to learn,
there's no point in trying on something that's not very good. How
much would a good Journeyman-made one cost?"

"No need to give me marks right now. I have enough for this." He shook
his head. "That's why I'm coming along. You can get a better deal on
an apprentice made instrument without emptying your pocket _and_ end
up with a superior instrument." He didn't mean to be bragging but he
had a knack for finding good workmanship.

"You ever miss being a harper?" Part of G'waren's mind felt guilty
over stopping his child from apprenticing to the Craft. At the time
he had thought he was doing the right thing, as the child was so
timid. But what if he had only served to stifle his boy?

"I do," he said with a smile. "But I get to do the parts I liked best,
and Torerath was worth it."

"True." He held up his glass. "To our lifemates..and to our sons."

"Lifemates and sons," he echoed the toast.

Last updated on the September 19th 2011

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